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Commissioners authorize sealed bids for Tioga tax-sale parcel, discuss requiring minimum-bid payment
Summary
After repeated problems with buyers failing to pay at tax sales, the board authorized the auditor to advertise a Tioga parcel for sealed bids and asked staff to propose legal wording to require bidders to pay the minimum bid at sale.
Williams County commissioners on Dec. 2 discussed recent tax-sale problems and authorized the auditor's office to advertise a parcel in Tioga for sealed bids.
The auditor described recent instances in which successful bidders did not pay at the tax sale (including a bounced personal check), producing repurchases of property. She asked the board to consider requiring bidders to pay the advertised minimum bid price at the time of sale to ensure taxes are covered. Commissioners discussed logistics, legal wording and payment methods; staff were directed to work with county legal counsel (Karen) to draft language that would meet legal requirements.
Following that discussion, a commissioner moved and the board approved a motion to allow the auditor's office to advertise the Tioga property for sealed bids; the motion carried on a roll-call vote. The auditor said advertised sealed bids would include the minimum bid price.
County staff and commissioners agreed to return with specific, legally vetted language about bidder payment requirements and the auction/advertising process before implementing changes to tax-sale procedures.
